By Josephine Babatunde<\/p>\n
In the last few weeks, the issue of the abduction of nearly 200 students
\nof a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State has been largely politicised.
\nRarely are the real mothers of the girls seen these days on television as
\nsome really concerned women and opportunists have taken the centre stage
\nand relishing the attendant publicity, while the parents have been pushed
\nto the background.
\nBut at least some measure of good is coming from the situation as a
\nstakeholders\u2019 meeting by First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has come up
\nwith a startling revelation that the recalcitrance of Governors Murtala
\nNyako of Borno State, Kashim Shettima of Borno and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe
\nmay have inadvertently left the nation with this nauseating situation.
\nHead of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Nigerian Office,
\nCharles Eguridu, told the stakeholders gathered with Mrs Jonathan the
\nfertile ground that led to the abduction of the girls was laid, after its
\nrequest to the state governments for the relocation of the examination
\ncentre was ignored.\u00a0 His story: “When we made that representation (letter)
\nto the three affected states, none of them responded to the honourable
\nminister\u2019s request.
\n\u201cWe followed it up and I directed my zonal coordinator in Borno state in
\nparticular, to liaise with the Ministry of Education in Borno State, and
\nthe response we got was so disheartening.\u00a0 We were told that they had
\nsecurity in place for the candidates and that we should come and conduct
\nthe examination in the schools and that they were not ready to relocate
\ntheir students from Chibok and other areas to Maiduguri or nearby
\nlocations where security agencies could provide security.
\n\u201cThey said if we failed to conduct the examinations, the world would blame
\nus. And so at great risk, my officers went to Chibok and conducted the
\nexaminations.\u00a0 After the unfortunate incident in which the students were
\nsaid to have been abducted, our staff now got a response from the state
\nthat they were then ready to relocate the remaining students to another
\nplace called Ubah.\u00a0 And, as I speak, 189 candidates are continuing with
\nthe examination in Ubah.”
\nWhile the most important move now is to get our daughters back home to us,
\naway from the wicked and ravenous wolves that keep them, it is about time
\nsomeone told the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors of these three
\nstates that while they may choose to play politics over other matters,
\nthey should not do it at the risk of the lives of our children. In
\naddition, political gymnastics with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
\ncontrolled federal government may be acceptable in some circumstances, but
\nplaying politics with a sub-regional agency is the basest of political
\nbehaviour.\u00a0 See where it has led the state government. And who is to say
\nthe Borno State government is not to blame?
\nWhile this is not the best of times for blame-sharing, it has become
\nincreasingly clear that the federal government should cease wanting to do
\nwhat is politically correct and impose full and comprehensive emergency
\nrule in the three states of the north-east, more so when the governors are
\nintemperate, especially the drunken sailor, acting more like a rebel
\nleader than a man trained, housed and fed from federal resources for about
\nthree decades of his life.\u00a0 The source of his stupendous wealth and its
\nmovement in the last one year should also be investigated.
\nAway from irresponsible leaders, the federal government should bring to
\nbear its mighty weight upon the French-colonised countries of Niger,
\nCameroon, and Chad.\u00a0 A few oil deals the way of France may work the
\nwonders that is required to bend France over backwards, while a strong
\nmessage is delivered to these countries like General Muhammadu Buhari did
\nin the early 80s when a similar group toyed with our territorial
\nintegrity.\u00a0 That bloody nose still remains fresh in the mind of our
\nneighbours and a reiteration of our capacity to do it on a larger scale is
\nneeded at this time so that enemies without and within will know better
\nnot to mess with the federal government.
\nStill on the matter of the kidnapped girls, it is a wonder that those who
\nclaim to be our international friends with all the technology in space
\nwere oblivious of the movement of the fanatics who moved around and
\ncaptured 200 girls and redistributed them across countries as it has been
\nclaimed in some quarters. Friends, indeed! Also, while contributing to
\ndebates on the floor of the National Assembly, lawmakers regaled the
\nnation with the activities of the so-called Boko Haram operatives,
\nincluding how they were marrying the abducted girls. It makes you wonder
\nhow they know so much so soon.
\nMoreover, how come our daughters are escaping from the insurgents when it
\nappears the army is helpless.\u00a0 So, what exactly is going on in Borno
\nState?
\nJosephine Babatunde contributed this piece from Festac Town, Lagos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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